Speaker: Dr. Christopher R. Valenta, Senior Research Engineer, Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute

Title: Engineering a Career: Finding a Straight Line on a Double Logarithmic Diagram  

Abstract: An engineering career presents enormous opportunities for those that choose to pursue this challenging, yet rewarding field. From cutting edge research, to advanced manufacturing and automation, to management and administration; the direction an engineering degree can take you is only limited by your motivation, passion, and determination. It’s impossible to predict what challenges the next, 5, 10, or 30 years in your professional career will bring. However, the fundamental knowledge, critical thinking & analytical skills, and personal relationships established during your time spent in higher education will serve you well (provided you utilize your time intelligently), regardless of your lifetime pursuits. This talk will cover one possible pathway from college to an early professional life along with major decision points, successes and failures, and lessons learned.

Speaker Bio:  Christopher R. Valenta received the BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and BS in Optical Engineering (OE) from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the MSECE and PhD in ECE from the Georgia Institute of Technology. At Rose-Hulman, he worked with the Missouri University of Science & Technology as a researcher in their electromagnetic compatibility laboratory where he worked to increase signal integrity in motor controller systems. At Georgia Tech, he joined ‘The Propagation Group’ where he commercialized the first 5.8 GHz backscatter sensor system for use in high-voltage environments, developed numerous RFID-enabled sensors, and pioneered work in microwave-energy harvesting using power-optimized waveforms. In 2009, he was awarded an ATLANTIS Fellowship and participated in an 18-month research program with the Politecnico di Torino and the Technical University of Munich. Christopher has also spent time as a visiting scholar in the Sampei Laboratory at the University of Osaka. He is currently an associate division head and branch head at the Georgia Tech Research Institute Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory and instructor for courses in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Professional Education. His research interests include microwave-energy harvesting; backscatter radio communication; RFID; ultra-low power, passive sensors; lidar systems; electro-optical receivers, lidar signal processing, and software defined radio. He is a consultant to industry and a frequent reviewer of journals and conference proceedings. Dr. Valenta is also the winner of the 2015 IEEE Microwave Magazine Best Paper Award and a registered professional engineer in the state of Georgia.